Ariat International co-founder and CEO Beth Cross is shifting gears.
“After more than 30 years of building Ariat alongside an amazing group of colleagues, I’m beginning the next chapter of my role with the company, transitioning from CEO to executive chair of the board of directors,” Cross said in a statement. “Ariat has been a major part of my life for more than three decades, and I am deeply grateful for the Ariat team, partners, and consumers who have helped build this wonderful company.”
Cross moves to her new role on April 2. The incoming CEO beginning April 2 is Liz O’Neill, the former executive vice president and chief operating officer of Levi Strauss & Co. According to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission from February 2025, O’Neill retired from Levi’s on March 1, 2025, but continued through Aug. 1, 2025, as a consultant.
Her LinkedIn profile profile said she was at Levi’s for over 11 years. And while O’Neill was most recently chief operating officer, she also held roles at Levi’s that included executive vice president/president, product, innovation and supply chain; chief supply chain officer, and senior vice president product development and sourcing.
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Cross said O’Neill brings “deep experience leading global teams and working with partners around the world.” She also noted that O’Neill “respects what we have built at Ariat.”
In the months ahead, O’Neill will work alongside Cross and the Ariat leadership team prior to her formally taking on the CEO role on April 2.
The boot brand was founded in 1993 by two women, Cross and Pam Parker. The brand is also female-led, which will continue when O’Neill joins officially as CEO.
Cross was among FN’s 2025 Women Who Rock honorees. In an interview, she said both the firm’s senior leadership and sales teams are made up of 50 percent women. And to support the women on her team, Cross said she spends a lot of time thinking about the life stages of her employees and how to support them at the various points in their careers.
That means focusing on coaching and mentoring for your younger team members, and offering paid parental for both men and women when they become parents. And Cross noted that when women are supported through their family life stage, they get resources that they need to continue to grow in their careers. They also get support when taking on additional personal obligations, such as caring for aging parents or dealing with an illness.
Ariat’s boots and apparel are sold online at the brand’s website, and at retailer that include Boot Barn, Nordstrom, Tractor Supply Co., Hibbett Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Academy Sports + Outdoors.
The Western influence in pop culture has spurred interest in all things connected to the lifestyle, from apparel to footwear to jewelry. Country music superstar and Grammy-winning recording artist Lainey Wilson inked a collaboration deal with Kontoor Brands’ to incorporate Wrangler denim in her on-stage and select meet-and-greet appearances. Last July she disclosed a signature jewelry collection with The Jewelry Group launching later that month that would be available at select retailers, including Ariat.
Cowgirl core helped by Beyonce’s album “Cowboy Carter” and classic Western themes in drama series such as “Yellowstone” and the neo-western “Landman” continue to bring attention to the western lifestyle. Yellowstone’s costumer designer Johnetta Boone in October 2024 collaborated with Ariat on a limited-edition collection of apparel and boots that were worn by the show’s characters, with items at the time available at the Ariat website.
